I've been watching the conversations around whether or not instances set-up should include a (easily-overridden) default of importing a blocklist for known awful instances.

Those against it pattern match for me with a certain libertarian streak that doesn't want humans making decisions.

In economics, it's the gold standard and free markets. In politics, government is inefficient and should be minimised.

It's the idea that a system with human decision-makers could be undermined...

1/n

THE POWER OF WORDS
from [email protected]

Republicans don't say they hate gay people.
—They say groomers.
—They say pedophiles.

Republicans don't say they hate Jews.
—They say Soros.
—They say New World Order.

Republicans don't say they hate black people.
—They say thugs.
—They say looters.

Republicans don't say they hate Hispanic people.
—They say illegals.
—They say animals.

Republicans don't say they hate women.
—They say sluts.
—They say femoids.

Republicans don't say they hate democracy.
—They say cancel woke.
—They say radical left.

Be very, very careful of any group deliberately using dehumanizing language. Because eventually, when they do finally come for you and everyone you've ever loved...
They won't say they hate you.
—They won't have to say anything at all.

UPDATE NOTE: this post has resonated hugely! Thank you all for boosting. I see 186 boosts. WORDS MATTER. Words are weapons. Rebut lies. Refute dehumanizing labels.RE-BOOST.

ANOTHER UPDATE: 432 boosts! As of 6/18. Check out the original version of this at @LadyDragonfly. She is the brilliant wordsmith!
Re-Boost. WORDS MATTER.

UPDATE AGAIN. 590 boosts.568 favorites. 7/9/23 carry on! ‼️

Apple's announcing a bunch of new tech today, but I can't stop wishing they'd finally announce an Apple E-Bike--not because I could ever afford one, but because it would get a bunch of rich people cycling so cities might actually start building bike lanes.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-11/what-if-apple-made-an-e-bike?leadSource=uverify%20wall

#cycling #urbanism #apple #tech

If Mark Zuckerberg launched a new site called BookFace, and pinky-swore not to do any of the creepy stuff that Facebook does, would you trust him?

Of course not. It's inexplicable that Jack Dorsey's BlueSky is getting a pass for doing exactly that.

The guy is a fascist who enthusiastically gave Trump his largest platform. Why on earth is anybody trusting him a second time?